Phonograph



Unwr tten STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. EDISON, OF LLEWELLYN PARK, NEW JERSEY."

PHONOGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,924, dated July 2,1895. Application filed December 3, 1890. Serial No. 373,410. tNomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ALVA EDISON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Llewellyn Park, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement inPhonographs, (Case No. 893,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to feeding devices for phonograph recorders orreproducers, that is, to devices for moving said recorders orreproducers slowly along over the phonogram blank, at the same time thatthe blank revolves. The ordinary way to accomplish this is by means of ascrew shaft, equal in length to the phonogram blank, and connected tothe recorder or reproducer by means of a suitable nut and arm. Thisarrangement is simple and efficient, but is somewhat objectionable owingto the large expense of a screw shaft of the length, and fineness ofthread required, via, one-hundred or more threads to the inch.

The object of the present improvement is to provide novel means for thepurpose above mentioned, and the invention consists in the apparatushereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawing illustrates in plan so much of aphonograph asis necessary to make the improvement. clear.

1 is a phonograph shaft, which may be provided with the pulley 2, bymeans of which the shaft may be driven in the usual manner.

3 is the phonogram blank or recording surface.

4 is a rod, called the guide rod, supported in suitable posts orbearings, and on this rod slides a sleeve 5, which carries the arm 6, atthe end of which the recorder and reprod ucer 7 are held.

8 is an arm correspondinginposition to the feed arm in my old form ofphonograph. To this arm is attached a fine steel wire 9 (or a cord orother filament generically included in the term wire as hereafter usedherein), which wire is wound on a drum or reel 10, supported on theshaft 11. This shaft is provided with a worm wheel 12, which engageswith a worm screw 13 on the shaft 1. To the arm 8, or to some other partof the sliding carrier, is attached a second wire or cord 14 whichpasses over a pulley 15, suitably located, and is connected to a weightor other motor 16.

The apparatus thus described is used in the following manner: The arm 8and connected recorder diaphragm at the same time that the phonograph ismoving as above described.

I do not confine myself to the exact arrangement shown and described,since it is possible to vary the apparatus in some particularswithoutdeparting from the invention. It would not be impossible to drawthe carriage and recorder along by winding the wire 9 upon the reel,instead of unwinding it and providing a weight to draw the carriage.

Having thus described the improvement, what I claim is 1. Thecombination of a phonograph recorder or reproducer, a drum, a wire onthe drum and connected to the recorder or reproducer, and means forturning the drum at a speed corresponding to the speed desired for therecorder or reproducer, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a phonograph shaft, a recorder or reproducerandsupporting device therefor, of a drum,a wire thereon and connected withthe supporting device, and a gearing between the phonograph shaft anddrum, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a phonograph shaft, a recorder or reproducer andsupporting device therefor, ofadrum, a wire thereon and connected withthe supporting device, a gearing between the phonograph shaft and drum,and means for moving the recorder and reproducer as the wire is unwoundfrom the drum, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a phonogram blank and means for moving the same, adrum and a connection between said drum andrphonograph shaft,substantially as described.

6. The combination of a phonograph shaft,

a recorder or reprodu'oe'r,a supporting arm and sleeve, av guide rod onwhich the sleeve is movable, a drum, a wire on the drum, and connectedwith the recorder, or reproducer, a connection between said drum andphonograph shaft, and a weight or other motor tending to move therecorder or reproducer in one direction, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 17th day of November, 1890.

THOS. A. EDISON.

Witnesses: HARRY F. MILLER, THOMAS MAGUIRE.

